Infant dies after being injured in a traffic accident near Collinsville

A tragic accident claims the life of a 9 month-old baby boy. It happened in the southbound lanes of US highway 169 at about 136th Street North. Investigators say debris from a truck flew through the

Wednesday, February 15th 2006, 11:20 am

By: News On 6

A tragic accident claims the life of a 9 month-old baby boy. It happened in the southbound lanes of US highway 169 at about 136th Street North. Investigators say debris from a truck flew through the front windshield of a woman's vehicle and struck the baby in the face.

News on 6 anchor Tami Marler says Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers at the scene call it a tragedy for everyone involved. Just after 11 AM Wednesday, a truck from Tri-Star Roll Offs out of Claremore was traveling southbound on Highway 169, when troopers say a wooden pew flew out of its bed.

According to an eyewitness, the pew sailed through the front window of a Dodge pickup truck and struck the baby boy, 9-month-old Brett Lee Hoover. Troopers say the pew appeared to go straight for the boy's car seat, which was facing forward, in the middle of the front seat. Troopers say Hoover was flown by medical helicopter to a Tulsa hospital where he died at 11:35 AM.

The driver of the Dodge truck, the boy's 45 year-old babysitter Lesa Lathrop, sustained a broken arm. 16 year-old Amber Lathrop, a female passenger, was not injured.

OHP troopers tell the News on 6, the Tri-Star driver was cited for "failure to secure his load." They say the DA will decide whether to file additional charges.